Green Means Go: Saturn Aura Green Line production begins this week
A union rep for UAW Local 31 told the Kansas City Star that GM's Fairfax, Kansas plant, where the Saturn Aura and Chevy Malibu are constructed, will add the new Aura Green Line to the mix sometime this week. Five of the hybrid Auras will be produced per week and be used for road testing prior to the car going into full production in early 2007. It doesn't end there, either, as the facility's plant manager also told The Star that once the Aura Green Line is introduced in the spring, attention will turn to the planned Chevy Malibu Hybrid that will also be built at Fairfax.
The Aura Green Line will use a "light hybrid" system like the one used in the Vue Green Line. Light hybrids use smaller batteries than full hybrids and are unable to drive on electric power alone. The gasoline engine will still shut down when coasting, braking and stopping, and generally offer a 10 to 15 percent boost in fuel economy over cars without the system. The other benefit is evident on the wiondow sticker, as the light hybrid system is less costly than a full hybrid.
It's going to be interesting to see how the Aura Green Line does in the marketplace. The Aura, which yours truly just spent a week with, is good-looking, comfortable and very capable. Assuming that the Green Line will continue to do the good things well, while offering enhanced fuel economy (and the hybrid cool/feel-good factor), it should find takers at Saturn stores. We're looking forward to eventually getting our hands on one.
Related items:
- AutoblogGreen: Wired NextFest Report: GM's green portfolio. Sequel, Hy-wire, Graphyte and more
- AutoblogGreen: Kansas plant will start making Saturn Aura Green Line hybrids this week
[Source: Kansas City Star via AutoblogGreen]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
sp 9:08AM (10/24/2006)
It is not an hybrid, is almost only start-stop system. You should really be limited on what you call "hybrid".
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MikeW 10:03AM (10/24/2006)
and it uses a 4 speed automatic.
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Mike 9:52AM (10/24/2006)
I have driven the Saturn Vue "Green Line" It operates absolutely seemlessly. I think the Aura will have this same system initially. The vehicle was so quiet in operation it was difficult to tell when the engine went off without looking at the Tach. Delivered very good mileage.
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leo 9:51AM (10/24/2006)
it still gets up a 10-15% improvement, adn a hybrid means a joining of multiple (usually two) technologies, it has nothing to do with having 300lbs of batteries in the trunk
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PuffyC 10:03AM (10/24/2006)
Until the 'full' hybrids get at least somewhat competitive pricewise these 'light' hybrids are clearly the way to go. Sign me up!
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Cody Peterson 10:15AM (10/24/2006)
I'm not in to hybrids but the thing is... how did Saturn go from being complete shit to like being decent / good so quickly (aura, sky, etc etc)?
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Annie Liebowitz 11:07AM (10/24/2006)
6. I'm not in to hybrids but the thing is... how did Saturn go from being complete shit to like being decent / good so quickly (aura, sky, etc etc)?
Posted at 10:14AM on Oct 24th 2006 by Cody Peterson 0 stars
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Only open-minded people feel that way. Welcome to a brave new world of cars.
I've never felt liberated as a car person until I began to look beyond a narrow band of appliances and saw Volkswagens and Audis and Chevrolets and Saturns and Citroens etc.
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roar 12:47PM (10/24/2006)
Get informed. The Aura Greenline will have the same drivetrain as the Saturn Vue Greenline. Go read the Popluar Mechanics article about the Vue Greenline, they named one of the best hybrid systems available, these people know what they are talking about. Roar
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Matt 1:17PM (10/24/2006)
Next stop, Park Street. Change here for the Red and Orange lines.
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tekdemon 4:19PM (10/24/2006)
"6. I'm not in to hybrids but the thing is... how did Saturn go from being complete shit to like being decent / good so quickly (aura, sky, etc etc)?"
Haha, it's actually not quite that quick. Most of these products have long been in the pipelines, but the fire under GM's butt from last year have managed to really get them cranking these out.
And you know what? This is a good thing for everyone-not just GM. Better cars from GM means everyone else will have to step up their game and deliver better cars too.
Either way, hurray for GM for becoming a car company I would again buy cars from (I'll admit I've always had somewhat of a soft spot for some of their cars...the supercharged Park Avenue Ultra was a damned sweet car...) This is from a Toyota driver btw.
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Cheezedog 5:24PM (10/25/2006)
I kinda like it... only the lack of better transmission bothers me about it. Of course, that will keep the price down low...
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